RAMSBOTTOM United welcomed neighbours Colne to a showery afternoon at the Riverside with the game played out in a mix of bright sunshine and teeming rain, writes Charley Rattan.

Rams sat proudly on top of the table, whilst Colne languished at the bottom. That situation however was the case when Ram returned from the spartan steel magnificence of Holt House a few weeks ago following yet another defeat against their jinx team.

Absorbing hard statistical evidence from the club's own pre-match analysis was enough to send a judder down the spine of the most optimistic of Rams fans.

The game itself, started in a cagey fashion. The Rams struggled to find their usual passing game, but did create chances, and were to find fluency in isolated bursts.

As the half wore on without the breakthrough, and this being Colne, a feeling grew that Rams might be made to pay later in the in the game.

Colne, playing in yellow, grew into the game and created a series of clearcut chances through smart footwork, to access the penalty area and posed a real danger throughout the game. A mazy forward run and a series of attacks from the visitors would have been punished by teams higher on confidence.

So nil, nil at half time, and an absorbing rather than exciting encounter.

As the second half got underway, Colne continue to press and quickly set up another chance as the visitors passed their way forwards and Brad Rose, in the home goal, was grateful to collect a scuffed effort. Shortly afterwards an even better chance for Colne with a glorious chance around the penalty spot before the shot from Yusuff was skied over the railway end crossbar - when it should have been buried in the Rams goal

Such let-offs can be tuning points in matches encouraging a feeling that the hoodoo was lifting.

This season manager Steve Wilkes has brought in experience to bolster a youthful back line comprising Rose, Harvey Hayhurst and Oscar Radcliffe with captain, Andy Teague, exemplifying this. Teague appeared everywhere, reading the game, having time on the ball and picking up the pieces, and prompting the Rams forwards wherever possible.

In the fifty-fourth minute came the breakthrough and Teague the beneficiary of an excellent corner. Maine Walder's body position indicated an in-swinging delivery from the left and his arms aloft often signaled a deeper target. That's exactly what he delivered, and. shrugging of his marker and rising highest to head past Wilson was Teague. His first goal for the club and celebrated with gusto with the crowd massed behind.

As with the Prestwich game a week earlier the deadlock had been broken via a set piece corner. The dead ball option is proving a useful addition to the Rams arsenal, especially with their passing game thwarted by hard pressing opponents.

There was more to come from the exemplary Rams captain. Colne still posed a threat and very nearly had their equaliser. Rose was unable to gather a corner, and the ball ran loose before a shot was smashed past him and into the centre of the goal. There, anticipating, was Teague on the goal line and able to use his chest to clear the danger.

Colne continued to press, but even when the ball wasn't running particularly well for them, so did the Rams, with an excellent work rate throughout the team

It was evident none more so than in the form of frontman Tom Hoyle. Hoyle constantly harried defenders and must be their worst nightmare. On 85 minutes he sprinted in to close down Colne keeper, Wilson, forcing him to mis-hit the clearance. The ball rolled across the box towards substitute Raj Uppal, who couldn't believe his luck and calmly stroked the ball home to calm any residual nerves -and surely bring victory. It was Uppal's first for the Rams and celebrated once more with the supporters.

The Rams managed out the game well in the closing minutes and could have added a third in injury time. This was a hard-won victory and brings more points at a crucial stage of the season, with nine gained in the last eight days alone.

Ramsbottom United coach Scott Campbell summed up the general feeling.

"Glad that one's out of the way and we picked up three points as in recent years Colne have been a bit of a bogey team," he said.

"The message to the players for the game was 'can we put right one of our wrongs from earlier in the season?', and by picking up the three points and keeping another clean sheet, we did that.

"We weren't great and called on Brad Rose a couple of times to keep us in the game. I thought second half we were better than the first. There were a lot of positives to take from the game but we know there's still lots to work on and to improve our performances, but at the minute, whilst we're not playing great, we keep grinding out the results.

"I think everyone would agree that with the same performances last season, we wouldn't be picking up these points.

"We have a few hurdles to get over in the next couple of weeks with injuries and suspensions, and I think we have seen that with our bench, but the management team are working hard to bring in a few new faces to freshen things up and give some tired legs a rest."